1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser for use with a supply of pills, tablets, capsules or the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dispenser for use with a supply of pills, tablets or capsules, wherein the dispenser includes safety features and wherein the supply of pills, tablets or capsules is dispensable therefrom one-at-a-time only upon successful manipulation of the safety features.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oftentimes, an individual diagnosed with an illness is required to take periodic doses of a medication according to a fixed time schedule, such as, for example, by ingesting a medicated pill, tablet, capsule or the like, every four hours. It is quite common for such an individual to be prescribed a supply of the pills, tablets or capsules, of a quantity thereof sufficient for numerous doses throughout a period of several days, weeks or months. The supply of pills, tablets or capsules, is typically issued to the individual in a disposable bottle which the individual carries on his/her person so that the supply of pills, tablets or capsules is at-hand when it becomes necessary to take a dose thereof.
It has been observed that the bottle typical of those of the prior art is oftentimes cumbersome, or otherwise provides an inefficient means of dispensing the pills, tablets or capsules therefrom. It is therefor desirable to provide a device for storing and dispensing therefrom a supply of pills, tablets or capsules, wherein the device is easy to carry, and wherein the device provides a means by which the pills, tablets or capsules stored therein can be individually dispensed therefrom, such as, by a single pill, tablet or capsule at a time, while retaining the remaining pills, tablets, capsules therein for future dispensing therefrom.
It is even further desirable to provide a device for storing and dispensing therefrom a supply of pills, tablets or capsules, wherein the device provides means for preventing the dispensing therefrom by a child of tender years.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,901 to Farside teaches a tablet dispenser with a child-resistant locking feature. However, it is even further desirable to provide a device for storing and dispensing therefrom a supply of pills, tablets or capsules, wherein the device provides means for preventing the dispensing therefrom by a child of tender years and wherein the means for preventing the dispensing therefrom by a child of tender years requires the user to apply a force thereto in a direction other than in a direction of a force applied by the user thereto to dispense the pill, tablet or capsule therefrom.